Russia’s Strikes on Power Plants Leave Civilians Facing Blackouts

Russia’s intensified bombing campaign has delivered a severe blow to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, destroying 30% of its power stations in just eight days, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The attacks have caused widespread blackouts, particularly in eastern Kyiv, and are forcing Ukrainians to brace for a challenging winter with limited energy resources.

Once an energy exporter due to its nuclear power plants, Ukraine now struggles to meet domestic demand, especially with the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant offline. Rolling blackouts and energy conservation measures have been announced, with Deputy Presidential Chief Kyrylo Tymoshenko urging citizens to prepare for a “hard winter.”

Temperatures in Ukraine can plummet to -10°C or lower in winter, with frontline regions like Donbas already without gas supplies for heating. Politicians had previously warned that Russia would target energy infrastructure to exacerbate civilian suffering during the colder months.